Children of Blood and Bone: Prologue–Chapter 4

The incantations...spewed from her mouth like lava.

A powerful maji could fight through its influence, but the rare metal is debilitating for most of us.

“Because of this, every time new maji were born, entire provinces rejoiced, celebrating at the first sight of their white coils. The chosen children couldn’t do magic before they turned thirteen, so until their powers manifested, they were called the ibawi, ‘the divine.’”

“But the king is ruthless, Zélie. He would sooner have the entire kingdom slaughtered than tolerate divîner dissent. When your opponent has no honor, you must fight in different ways, smarter ways.”

“Perhaps in the future,” I say quietly, praying this small indulgence will not incite Mother’s wrath.

They speak of our subjects with such levity, as if they were discussing the diamond-stitched geles sweeping Lagos's fashion.

I chastise myself, swerving to avoid a servant.

“Their proximity activated latent abilities in a few of the local divîners.”

“Their proximity activated latent abilities in a few of the local divîners.”

With tentative steps, I begin walking toward the city center.

The acrid smell of burning flesh hits me as the stocker presses the cane into the boy's back.

More tumultuous than the streets of Lagos, the bazaar is alive with every Orïshan good imaginable.

In one row alone, grains from the vast fields of Minna sit alongside coveted ironworks from the factories of Gombe.

For once, I have more than my life to lose. I push through the crowd with a new fervor, desperate to escape.